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Para-athlete made women take 'test' by having sex with him

Adam Kamis, a para-athlete, leaves State Courts on Monday (June 20). He had pleaded guilty to 11 counts of procuring women for the purpose of prostitution and one count of child trafficking.PHOTO: ST

TRAP: The Facebook page of SG Freelancers can still be found online. It was one of the many ways Kamis used to message potential female candidates for his social escort agency.PHOTO: SCREENGRAB/FACEBOOK

Para-athlete had sex with victims on pretext of ensuring they were suitable as social escorts

In the case of the F&B manager, she met Adam at his Yishun flat on June 27, 2014, and had sex with him.

She later had sex with him two more times because he called her back for further "tests".

Yesterday, Adam, now 37, pleaded guilty to 11 counts of procuring women for prostitution and one count of child trafficking.

It was a fall from grace for the para-athlete who had done Singapore proud by winning gold in the men's 1,500m at the 2009 Asean Para Games.

In 2008, he was the first para-athlete to complete the Vertical Marathon, and he also competed in the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

IN DEBT

The court heard that Adam, also known as "Adam OneArmRunner", had set up the escort agency SG Freelancers and the website Uniquely Singapore in early 2013 because he was in debt.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz said Adam had reached out to his victims via social networking sites such as Facebook and Tagged, as well as e-mail.

"The accused had explained that those who had not performed satisfactorily during the initial verification process, either because they were awkward or lacking in skill and personality, were required to undergo further verification," she said.

His victims, whose ages ranged from 16 to 38, included students, a childcare teacher, a dental assistant, and a mother of two. They cannot be named to protect their identities.

About four months later, in June 2013, Adam contacted a 34-year-old accountant via Facebook, and promised her a high-paying job as a social escort.

He had sexual intercourse with her in the master bedroom of his flat in mid-October that year. He later secured a client who paid her $450 for her sexual services.

When another victim in April 2015 told Adam she was 16 years old, he lied that the job was "legal".

Before having unprotected sex with her, he told her that some other girls working for him were also underaged.

The police were able to establish the identities of 34 women who had applied for the social escort job.

Between early 2013 and October 2015, Adam recruited 15 women, but managed to secure only five clients. Court documents stated that he did not make a cent.

Sitting alone at the public gallery in court yesterday was Adam's wife, whom he had met through an online social networking portal and married in November 2012.

Adam will be in court again on June 27.

He can be jailed up to five years and fined up to $10,000 for attempting to procure a woman for prostitution.

He faces up to 10 years' jail, a fine of up to $100,000, and up to six strokes of the cane for child trafficking.